Ye Shall be as Gods
by lady tecuma
Summary: An unlikely couple shares a forbidden relationship before it all started. Chapter 5: The building blocks of two relationships are laid...one in pain, the other in discovery...
1. Prologue

**AN:** Alright...yet another major Xeno fic from me. However, this is gonna be a little different, primarly because first off it's a Wilhelm/Shion, and secondly...this is going to be AU to make this paring work. Now I'll be doing my best to keep everybody in canon character, but as the story advances, there will be a little bit of AU mixed in. So think of this story as 1/2 AU and 1/2 canon. (I'll promise you I'll do my best for the canon!)

Expect also some heavy theorzing on my part (because we are not going to see **anything **until Episode III) on Shion's past with Vector, or her relationship with Kevin. As for spoilers, well, warning for the prologue below, and then afterwards, it's all clear, as the setting for this fic is the two years prior to Kevin's death, starting when Shion first joined Vector.

Thanks and enjoy the story!

* * *

**Prologue**

The sounds of Wagner filled the air as Wilhelm leaned back in his seat, eyes closed, and his mind going over the events of the past several hours. He had to admit, there had been some surprises that he hadn't anticipated. His old friend's declaration and the matter of the Y-Data…though he hadn't been taken aback too much on that one. And then there had been the newest Testament…

_The answer lies in the Unus Mundus._ His eyes opened, but they were now filled with pain. Her role was fast approaching…no longer could she stay innocent, stay safe, no matter how much that small part of him wanted it. Within 24 hours, she would return to the _Dammerung_, and he could not even give her a moment's rest before he put her life in danger.

_I should have never gotten involved…_ For now he found himself trapped in the same web Kevin had found himself in two years ago, but the difference was…he'd wandered in there first.

_Four years ago. _At first he had tried, thinking her only as "the girl", the necessary pawn to be sacrificed on the altar of his plans for all to work. And it had worked…before she had somehow slipped into his thoughts, his heart, and made him care. He had kept it a well-guarded secret, not even his Testaments knew…especially Winnicot. The man was in enough turmoil as it was…he didn't need to know that his master had been pining over the same woman he had lost his head over. Or that he had ruthlessly used every single resource, every pull he had to keep their relationship going when it should have died…but he hadn't wanted to lose her. Even if she only had seen him as a dear friend, it had been enough…just having her in his life was sufficient.

_And no matter how much I wanted her to see me as more; I had to keep it that way._ For what he had done was strictly forbidden, and when Shion learned of it, it would either be the final push she needed to make her do what she needed to do, or it would kill her…Wilhelm feared it would be the latter. Her life had been filled with nothing but betrayal and being used, and he hated himself for continuing the cycle.

"_Shion."_

"_Mmm?"_

"_If I told you to quit Vector…just drop everything and run, to get as far away as possible…would you do it?" A puzzled look crossed the brunette's face before she closed her eyes and burst out into giggles._

"_Jeez, I think those negotiations with the Hyams Group have been getting to you! When was the last time you actually went outside for some fresh air?" A weak smile crossed Wilhelm's face._

"_I guess you're right…"_

"Why didn't you listen to me?" Wilhelm murmured, lifting one hand to his forehead. Opening his eyes, he tilted his head slightly to look at the Compass of Order. "You should have run away…but then it wouldn't have made any difference." As he watched the Compass turn sedately, memories overwhelmed him, bringing both pleasure and pain…


	2. Beginings of an Alternate Fate

**Chapter One: Beginnings of an Alternate Fate**

Sighing, Shion sat up in bed, green eyes peering over at the alarm clock. 10:00 A.M.

_Oohh, I've never slept that late before._ Yawning, she pushed the covers aside and got up, pausing only to grab and pull on her bathrobe. _And right now, Jin didn't bother to make any breakfast…_

_----_

Jin Uzuki looked up as his little sister strode into the dining room, suppressing a yawn.

"Good morning, sleepyhead!"

"_Urusai_." Jin smirked.

"Charming as ever I see." Shion snarled in reply and stumbled into the kitchen. "Will you be having that same attitude at Vector if they hire you?"

"Leave me alone!" Deciding to leave Shion alone for now, the older Japanese man calmly sipped his tea, watching as his little sister came out of the kitchen, a bowl of cereal in one hand, spoon in mouth, a cup of tea in the other hand. Sighing, she settled herself on the cushion across from Jin, putting her food down and starting to eat. A comfortable silence came over the room for several minute, but all too soon the ringing of the doorbell broke the spell. Jin put down his teacup.

"I'll get it." Moving swiftly, he headed into the front room, deactivating the lock on the door. "Yes?"

"I have a message for a Miss Shion Uzuki from Vector?" Frowning, Jin opened the door, revealing a delivery Realian standing on the porch with a small envelope in his hand.

"I'm her brother, I'll take it." The Realian nodded, handing over the item before bowing.

"Thank you." The black-haired man nodded in reply, closing the door and turning over the small packet.

_What is…?_ Fingers moving deftly, he opened the envelope, revealing a small computer disc. Reaching into one of his kimono sleeves, he pulled out his Connection Gear, inserting the disc inside the device and watching the small screen come to life.

"Dear Miss Shion Uzuki…" Shion stuck her head around the corner.

"Who was that, Jin?"

"We are pleased to inform you…" Green eyes narrowed.

"_Niisan_, are you reading my mail?!"

"That you…wait a minute." Jin quickly moved out of the way as Shion charged him. His eyes widened as he read the rest of the sentence. "That you have been assigned to Vector's First R&D Division?!" Shion's own green orbs grew large.

"Give me that!" She snatched the Gear from Jin's hand and continued to read. "As such, it is required that you move to the company's main headquarters, located on the _Dammerung_…" The Gear slipped from her fingers, Jin nabbing it back.

"We have already prepared your living quarters; we ask that you move in as quickly as possible, as we only have one more week above Second Milita." He finished. Shion sank to her knees, legs akimbo.

"This has to be some kind of mistake!"

"You got that right. **_You_** in the First R&D Division?! Someone must have seriously messed up the paperwor…OUCH!" A bare foot slammed into one of his calves, and Jin crumpled to the ground. "Shion! Easy on the kicking!"

"_Baka_!" Shion got to her feet and hurried down the hallway. "You might be right, but you didn't have to say it like that!" Her brother didn't reply, but just massaged his throbbing leg.

"You could kill somebody with those kicks; they're more powerful than mine! Ow…"

----

Lips pursed, Wilhelm eyed the computer screen in front of him. The _Dammerung_'s three-week stay in Second Milita's orbit had been badly needed, it had given the majority of the Vector employees a change to get off-ship and take some vacation time, and for the massive ship/colony to be given a slight overhaul before they left for Fifth Jerusalem, where they would stay for two months while the _Dammerung _underwent updating, repairs…the maintenance trips were a personal insistence of his, and this attention to detail had resulted in the ship/colony being named one of the best ships in the Federation. The trip to Second Milita had also been picture-perfect timing, as a certain brunette had applied for internship at Vector. The second her paperwork had hit the company computers, he had moved swiftly, in fact, she should have received the notification of her new position by now…

_Everything is going according to plan._ It would be a while before things could move forward, but he was content to wait. His eyes narrowed. Perhaps he should assign Voyager to…

_I can't believe it._ Wilhelm blinked, and then a small smile appeared on his lips. It appeared the reality of her situation was starting to sink in…

_There **has** to be some sort of mistake in the paperwork somewhere!_

But there wasn't.

_First R&D Division?! I wanted to work in the Third Division…_

Not surprising, given her background.

_Jeez…_ He felt her give, up, shoving the train of that particular thought to the side. _I guess I better tell niisan that I'll be moving._ A satisfied expression crossed Wilhelm's face, and he leaned, pulling himself away from Shion's mind. He had set it up quite perfectly; she would not be able to escape his grasp, not even after the KOS-MOS project was completed.

"Voyager." The black-cloaked Testament appeared. "Will you see that things go smoothly for the girl?" Voyager nodded and de-materialized, and Wilhelm returned his attention to the monitor in front of him, remembering Voyager's incredulousness when he had first seen her.

_That little slip of a woman is our greatest threat? Surely you must be joking. _But it wasn't a joke. Housed deep within Shion's slender frame was great power; she was the key for humanity to regain all it had lost. A price could not be put on her life; she was far too valuable, nor was there any equal for her…

Well, not one that could be created naturally. Even for his considerable resources it had taken a long time, but finally he had been able to create the perfect counterpart. However, he was getting ahead of himself.

_One thing at a time. _


	3. Settling Down

**Chapter Two: Settling Down**

"Talk about company perks…" Shion murmured to herself, looking around. After the more or less unsuccessful meeting with the Director of the First R&D Division, she had headed back down to Second Milita and packed her meager belongings for the move up to the _Dammerung_. Surprisingly, Jin hadn't given her a hard time as she thought he would have…instead, all he had given her was a warning.

_"Be careful Shion." Startled, Shion looked up from packing her clothes._

_"Huh?" Jin didn't reply, but stepped into the room, crossing his arms._

_"This whole business…something seems off. Promise me that you'll be on your guard."_

_"Jin!"_

_"Just promise me!" Shion rolled her eyes._

_"Alright, alright, I promise." _

"Honestly, I don't know what goes on inside his mind sometimes!" Shaking her head, Shion looked down at her new Connection Gear (apparently all members of the First Division got to test out any/or all new gadgets). She also had a new e-mail address, in 15 minutes she was slated for a minor outpatient procedure, a chip that would allow her access to the Encephalon would be implanted in her body, aligning her nervous system, then she had to pick up her new uniforms… However, she wasn't due to start work until the day after tomorrow.

_Well, that's good, I can get myself familiar with the area…or should I say the ship?_ To call the _Dammerung_ massive truly had to be an understatement…when she had flown up to the ship before to question her post, she had been like a wide-eyed tourist, swiveling her head around to try and take in all the sights…

----

_"You're kidding me, right?"_ The Director sighed, pushing his glasses back up on his nose.

"Kevin…"

_"No! I don't have the time to baby-sit some bubble-headed twit just as this project finally gets off its feet!"_

"She's not a twit, she's very bright and despite the circumstances, she'd make a wonderful addition to your team!" The older man said, trying to soothe his younger employee's ruffled feathers. "Please Kevin; don't be so quick to judge!"

_"Who the hell assigned her here anyway?! No wait, let me guess, she's the mistress of one of the higher-ups but he's passing her off as his secretary!"_ The Director gasped in shock.

"Kevin! Never have I…it's not like that! **I** don't even know where the orders came from!" The younger man snarled and crossed his arms, looking to the side. "Look, doesn't **_my_** word count for something?! She may be green, but give her a few months, you'd never be able to tell that she never interned. It's like…she has a natural gift for this kind of thing!"

_"Fine. Have her report to me day after tomorrow."_ With that Kevin cut his end of the connection, leaving his boss to splutter at a blank screen. Sighing, he shook his head and pressed a button on his desk.

"Send a message to Miss Uzuki. I need to see her **_immediately_**."

----

Blissfully unaware of the malice forming against her, Shion exited the clinic, her body sore all over. This was a result of her nerves adjusting to the Encephalon chip inside of her; it was aligned with her nervous system to allow her easy access.

"Ow…" Remembering the doctor's orders to rest someplace until her body settled, Shion decided to head back to her living area, there'd been a little Japanese-style restaurant there, and she was a bit homesick for some of her native food.

_Afterwards I can go back and get my uniforms…_ Her Connection Gear beeped, alerting her that she had an e-mail.

"Oh!" She pulled the portable device out of her pocket, activating the screen. _The Director wants to see me?_ Sighing, she shut down the window. _Guess I'll have to get it to go…_

_----_

He watched as she left the restaurant, pulling her Connection Gear out of her pocket and checking it for directions. Even now, he had a hard time believing that she was as important as his master had made her out to be.

_A slip of a woman…not even that, a girl! And it is with her that our fate rests. _He trailed Shion silently, his red eyes not leaving her small form. He had to admit, Mizrahi had been quite clever; the idea of hiding something valuable in plain sight had worked perfectly…not even his former master had known of her presence.

_Whatever power she wields, it guards her well. _Had Wilhelm not told him of Shion's involvement, he would have just passed her over as another human. Even now, he still harbored his doubts. The girl was completely, utterly clueless…not when it came to brains, no she was quite smart, he'd seen her test results, her file. No, she was oblivious when it came to her new position, just what she was put there for…she honestly believed that there had been a mistake in the paperwork someplace.

_Thinking like that can get you killed. _But it just wasn't her innocence and naivety that bothered him…or was it? She was a direct polar opposite of him, of his master and of his former master. And as soon as it discovered of Shion's existence, it would stop at nothing to strip her of the secrets she held and kill her…was this the reason why Wilhelm demanded that she be protected, to be shielded from harsh reality until it was the proper time for her to face it?

----

The Director looked up as Shion was ushered into his office.

"Shion!" Bushing, the brunette bowed.

"I'm sorry I'm late, your call came right when I was about to get lunch…"

"It's alright. Please, sit down." Shion complied, her green eyes darkening.

"Is…something wrong?" The older man sighed, clasping his hands together and putting them on top of his desk.

"Yes there is. No, it's not your paperwork; it's…your boss." Shion didn't say anything, but tilted her head slightly to the side, a puzzled expression on her features.

"My…boss?"

"Kevin Winnicot, head of the KOS-MOS project. I assume you've made yourself familiar with the details?" The younger woman nodded, and the Director sighed, shaking his head.

_Just how the hell…_ "Shion, I'll be frank. You may run into some difficulty with Kevin, this project is his baby and when he found out that you…" The unspoken words hung in the air, their meaning all too clear. Green eyes lowered to gaze at the floor.

"I see." Desperate to reassure, the older man leaned forward.

"I talked to him, everything should be alright, but if you run into any problems, come to me right away!" Shion looked up, squaring her shoulders and nodding.

"Yes sir."

"You've got a natural gift for this job; don't let anyone tell you different!" The brunette nodded once more.

"I'll do my best, sir." Rising, she bowed once more, and then quickly left the office. It was only in the elevator that she dared let her emotions show, sliding down to the floor, fighting back tears. Shion shook her head, forcing herself to get a grip, standing back up. She had errands to finish, then afterwards she'd go back to her room and rest.

Almost directly behind her, but unheard by her ears and unseen by her eyes, was the rustle of a long black cloak…

----

The lights of the city provided a soothing balm for Shion's nerves as she looked out her room window.

_Stupid me, I should have expected this. You just don't get into Vector's First R&D Division without some sort of backlash!_ Sighing, she pressed the button to turn the window opaque, the hem of her dark-blue nightshirt grazing the tops of her knees. _And as I continue, I'll only run into more situations like this one._ Taking off her glasses, she placed them on the table, ordering the computer to turn off the lights as she slid underneath the bedcovers. _I just have to go one day at a time…_ She closed her eyes, turning onto her stomach, curling up underneath the sheets.

_Things'll get better…_


	4. Engraved Memory

**Chapter Three: Engraved Memory**

Kevin looked down at his watch in irritation. Ten more minutes until the meeting started, and the newest (and youngest) member of his team was nowhere in sight…

_Look, doesn't **my** word count for something?_

So sure, he'd gone and looked at her file properly after that argument, this Shion Uzuki certainly had lived up to the Director's praise, he had been right. A few months, and she'd be as experienced as any regular First RD Division employee, but he still suspected "other" means had been used to get her in his project…

"Excuse me?" The gentle voice jolted him out of his thoughts. "Are you…Kevin Winnicot?" The blue-haired man snapped to attention.

"Yes, I…" H looked up, seeing a pair of green eyes focusing on him. "am…" His breath slammed out of his lungs, he _knew_ those eyes…memories assaulted him, crashing into him like a tidal wave, he could never forget the day when he had first seen them…

_He rounded the corner, several computer pads piled in his arms, despite his genius I.Q. and being the assistant of a renowned scientist, he still had to do grunt work occasionally._

_"Dr. Mizrahi? I found the…" He trailed off, seeing his mentor speaking with another man. Mizrahi turned his head slightly._

_"Just put them on the table." Kevin obeyed, his eyes never leaving the two men. The second one looked upset about something…he moved slightly to the side, showing Mizrahi something hidden behind him. The doctor crouched down, his voice a gentle murmur._

"_There now…don't be so frightened…" The "something" moved, and Kevin was able to see what it was. A small brown-haired girl, she could be no more than seven or eight, buried her face in the second man's clothing, her brown hair a sharp contrast to the paleness of her dress._

_"Darling, look at the doctor." The second man ordered. The girl reluctantly obeyed, small fingers tightening in her father's clothing, green eyes wide behind the lenses of her glasses. Kevin stood transfixed, never had he seen such eyes before. So gentle, yet a hint of wariness in their depths as Mizrahi spoke to her, innocence personified…she closed them again, and pressed her face into her father's side. The gray-haired scientist laughed, patting the girl on the head. Then he stood up, and the two led her away…_

But this was the here and now. The memories were shoved to the side as reality set in, and the little girl started to morph and change…turning into the teenager that he saw before him.

"I'm Shion Uzuki." She bowed. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Like…likewise." Kevin stammered out. Shaking his head, he struggled to get a grip. "The meeting is about to begin. Shall we?"

* * *

Wilhelm watched thoughtfully as Kevin led Shion inside the room, his reaction was exactly what he had expected from the blue-haired man. 

_He should now be able to figure out just why she was placed there and use her accordingly._ While he did not doubt Kevin's genius, Shion's own input would be quite helpful, and it was necessary for her to be in close contact with KOS-MOS. A small smile of satisfaction crossed his lips and he opened his eyes, leaning back in his seat. _All the factors are starting to assemble…_

* * *

"You'll be assisting me on this project." Shion nodded, and Kevin barreled on. "I don't have time to be holding your hand; the military will be breathing down our necks on this one."

"I understand."

"Right now we're working KOS-MOS's initial OS. We'll be doing this for several months, and I'd like to get a good majority of the programming done while the _Dammerung_'s in dry dock."

"That's two months, right?" The brunette asked.

"Yes. Here." Shion started in surprise as a pile of computer discs were shoved towards her. "Go over all of these programming codes and memorize them."

_Whoa…_ "Um…okay. Anything else?" Kevin pinned her with a glare.

"Excuse me?"

_Oh oh…_ "Um, I wanted to know if there was anything else you wanted me to do." Shion said weakly.

"Since you're new to all of this, I'll tell you…and then I don't want you to ask me ever again, got it? Check them over for glitches and if there are any repair them, and if any modifications are needed, do them." Shion flushed in mortification.

"Yes sir." Quietly, she picked up the discs and left the room. _Dummy, you shouldn't have asked him! _Behind her, Kevin sighed and pressed his right thumb and forefinger against his sinuses, closing his eyes.

"Damnit."

"It's not her fault she was placed here." The calm voice had the blue-haired man nearly jumping out of his seat, head whipping around.

"You!" Unruffled, Voyager fixed his red gaze on the younger man.

"I can assure you, you won't get very far with that attitude." Snarling, Kevin stood up, crossing his arms.

"I have things under control; you don't need to concern yourself with this matter."

"On the contrary. The military…"

"I have that under control as well." Kevin interjected. "I know what I'm doing!"

"I hope you do." Voyager replied, fading from sight.

* * *

After being introduced to the rest of the team, Shion left for the rest of the day, planning on going over the computer discs in the privacy of her room. Everyone had been more or less been very kind to her, but of course, there had been the side glances, the whispers behind hands… 

_Well, today was quite the first day._ Sighing, she leaned back in her chair, shooting a glance out her window. _But at least I got all this work done…_ Her green eyes narrowed, she glared at the pile of computer discs on her desk.

"You think he would have been a bit nicer at least." Inhaling through her teeth sharply, she shook her head. _No…if I'd interned and gotten into the First Division fairly, he probably would have been nicer. But…_ She shook her head.

"No, no, don't think like that." _I've been looking at computer readouts for too long._ Getting out of her seat she grabbed her jacket, pulling it over her shoulders. _Some fresh air should do me some good…and I can pick up dinner and bring it back here!_ Now in a more cheerful fame of mind, she grabbed her wallet and left her quarters.

_And then afterwards I can mess around on the Net a bit…_ A smile on her face, she secured her wallet strap around her wrist and headed for the large bank of elevators at the end of the hall. _It'll be fun to check out the Vector message…_ Her footsteps stilled as a feeling washed over her. Senses that had been fine-tuned by years of intense training and discipline came screaming to life, warning her that she wasn't alone… Shion whipped around, staring down the hallway.

"Who's there?" She demanded. No reply. "I said, who's there!" To this, Kevin made no reply, staying within the scarce shadows that were present in the corridor. After several seconds Shion sighed, shaking her head.

"Jeez…talk about overactive imagination…" She turned and got on the elevator. "Damnit, not even one week into work and already I might need a vacation?" The doors closed, and Kevin stepped out of the shadows, heading forthe younger woman'sroom.


	5. Intial Meeting

**AN:** Rejoice, for I finally got my muse to coperate...

* * *

**Chapter Four: Initial Meeting**

Several weeks went by as Shion adjusted to life on the _Dammerung_. She had soon made friends amongst her peers at Vector, and just like the Director had predicted, nobody was able to tell that she had never interned. However, there was one person who wasn't willing to let it go completely…

"Damn it, Shion, he's being a complete and total prick!" The brunette sighed, putting down her fork.

"It's not as bad as when I first started a couple of weeks ago. He's just being overprotective, that's all."

"He's being a prick!"

"Can't you show some respect? He's your boss too, you know!"

"He's being a prick." Scowling, Shion picked up her fork again and viciously impaled a leaf of lettuce on it.

"You don't have to be so mean, Miyuki." The other brown-haired woman shook her head.

"It's a fact. He's nice to everybody except to you, I think you should go to Director-sama on him!" Shion sighed.

"Just give him some time…"

"That's what you've been saying for the past couple of weeks!"

"Change of subject." Shion ordered, reaching for her drink. "How much longer are we going to be in dry dock?" Miyuki shrugged.

"A few more days." The _Dammerung_ was undergoing its major maintenance overhaul; the massive ship had been in orbit around Senir for almost a month now. "But it's odd; we usually go by Fifth Jerusalem for the overhaul." Miyuki had been born and raised on the _Dammerung_, and currently was in her final phase of internship at Vector. "Not to mention vacation days are coming up!"

"Thank goodness for that." Shion replied, leaning back in her seat and sighing. "The Chief's been like a demon, he wanted the basic OS and then some completed by the time we leave dry dock."

"I'm telling you, he's being a total prick!"

"Don't start that again!"

"P-R-I-C-K." A frown crossed Shion's face as she grabbed her drink, biting down hard on the straw. Miyuki was right of course, Kevin was being a total and complete…to put it nicely, _meanie_, and she wasn't sure if she could attribute it to her being a rookie any longer… Sighing, she looked at her watch, and almost had a heart attack.

"Oh no! The meeting over the OS started five minutes ago!"

"Run for it!" Miyuki advised. Shion didn't reply, throwing herself out of her chair into a sprint, tossing the soda into a nearby trash can as she ran through the lunchroom doors.

_Oh man, he's going to kill me!_ And here things had been going so well! Today was the final day to work on KOS-MOS's basic OS, afterwards everyone would be granted some vacation time, and then back to work… Inhaling sharply, she dashed through the doors of the First Division's section, calling out apologies to the Realians on guard duty, and started to run up the stairs. Once on the upper level, she continued her frantic sprint, glancing down briefly at her watch.

_Oh nooo…_ However, she didn't watch where she was going…

"Hey, watch out!" A voice yelled. Startled, Shion looked up to discover that she was barreling down on a slender black-clad figure directly in her path! Desperate, she tried to slow down, but her boots skidded and slipped on the tiled floor, sending her forward.

"Aaaahhhhh!"

* * *

One minute he had been standing there, talking with the First Division's director, the next he had heard someone call out. Curious, he had turned around…

And had gotten more or less body-slammed to the floor, the force of the impact also sending the Director stumbling, hot coffee flying out of his hand…which had resulted in a high-pitched female scream, two guesses just _where_ the scalding liquid had landed?

"Aaaiiieeee!"

"Mr. Wilhelm! Wait a minute…Shion?" In reply to her name, the brunette groaned, propping herself up with both hands on either side of Wilhelm's body.

"Owww… Director, that…huh?" The white-haired man propped himself up on his elbows, fighting gamely to keep a smile from breaking out on his face.

"Could you be so kind as to get off of me?" He requested. Shion's face turned a bright scarlet, and with a shriek she threw herself backwards.

"M…m…Mr. Wilhelm!"

"Yes, that's my name." Wilhelm quipped, getting back up and dusting himself off. "Miss Uzuki, I presume?"

"I…I…I am so sorry!" Shion screamed, scrambling to her feet and rapidly bowing. "Please forgive me, I was trying to get to a meeting and I tried to slow down…"

"It's alright." The Vector CEO said quickly, lifting a hand to forestall any comments by the First Division's director. "It was an accident, and they happen sometimes."

"But…"

"I've heard many good things about you. Would you come by my office after you change your uniform?" At this, Shion flushed even more, one hand creeping up behind her back to feel the coffee stain.

"Y…yes sir."

* * *

Red eyes glanced over him as he stepped into his office.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Wilhelm chuckled, this was as worried as Voyager would allow himself to be. "Life often throws little surprises our way…I was just the recipient of one, that's all."

"More like assaulted by one." Voyager countered.

"Look at it this way. Because of our little collision, I was now able to arrange a meeting with Miss Uzuki. Otherwise, I'd have been forced to arrange it through her superiors." Wilhelm replied, moving towards his desk. "The silver lining in the cloud, so to speak."

"She's going to be very terrified of you." The black Testament predicted.

"Her fear will be an easy thing to soothe. Although…" Wilhelm turned to face Voyager, tilting his head slightly. "I'm not **_that_** intimidating, am I?" To this, Voyager pursed his lips and stayed silent, recognizing the query as a loaded question.

"…"

"You really think I am?" Wilhelm asked, mildly surprised.

"You…have a very…forceful way about you." Voyager replied. "And that is all I will say on the matter." The Vector CEO's lips quirked in a slight smile.

* * *

Fear roiled in Shion's stomach, an iron band pressing down on her lungs. Clad in a clean uniform, hair brushed and pulled back behind her ears, she moved with quaking limbs towards the elevator that led up to the Vector CEO's private office. The Director had given her an understanding smile, patted her on the shoulder, and whispered that he'd talk to Kevin for her…but it hadn't done anything for the butterflies in her stomach. Fingers interlaced to keep her hands from shaking, she stepped on the lift.

_What would Mr. Wilhelm want to see me for?_ The elevator stopped, and Shion looked around in surprise.

"Oh wow…" She whispered. The room itself was diamond shaped, four large windows taking the places of the walls, providing a spectacular view of the stars. The colors were varying shades of gray and some purple, with the only other color being the red Vector logo emblazed on the floor in front of the desk. In awe, the brunette stepped off the lift, nervousness forgotten as she tried to take in the new surroundings.

"I assume this means my office meets with your approval?" At the familiar voice, Shion stopped stock-still.

_Oh noo…you've been gaping like an idiot while he was in the room!_ Squaring her shoulders, Shion inhaled sharply and turned around.

"Mr. Wilhelm." She said stiffly, bowing.

"Please don't. There's no need for such formality." The white-haired man replied, coming from behind his desk. On the outside, Shion was doing rather well, but on the inside, the poor girl was a nervous wreck…Wilhelm found himself having to keep himself from smiling.

_Somehow saying "I told you so" doesn't quite do it. _Voyager remarked offhandedly in his thoughts. Wilhelm lifted a hand to his mouth to cover a cough, his eyes glancing over to the side, where the black Testament was hidden.

_Be nice._ He ordered. Diverting his attention back to Shion, he gestured towards the side table.

"If you would join me?" Nodding, Shion obeyed, sliding into the side table, clasping her hands in her lap. Wilhelm noticed the fine tremors rippling over them, her legs…

"There's no need to be so nervous, I just wished to have a chat with you. For the past month I've heard nothing but praises coming from the First Division about their new engineer…" He remarked idly, walking over to the drink cart located near one of the large windows, seeing Shion's reflection in the glass flush furiously.

"Oh, that…I haven't done much, really. You should be talking to the others working on the KOS-MOS project with me, I'm just the interloper."

"Would you like some water?"

"Um, yes please." Nodding slightly, Wilhelm returned with the water glass, sliding smoothly into the seat in front of her.

"Why do you call yourself an interloper?" He asked, leaning back.

"Well…" Shion looked down in her glass, as if the water could give her answers. "I think for starters, I got put in the wrong division…I haven't even gotten a chance to intern, and then I'm put on this top-secret project funded by both Vector and the military…" She trailed off, her green eyes lifting to meet Wilhelm's claret ones. "Sir, it's like I've been thrown into the deep end of the ocean, without a lifejacket. Not that I'm not grateful for what's been given to me, because I am, but…" She shook her head. "Something just seems very _wrong_ about it."

_She's more perceptive that I thought she would be._ Wilhelm thought. Shion obliviously was still harboring suspicions of just how she'd been placed; she'd more than likely hold onto them until KOS-MOS was completed. But by then, it'd be purely academic; he'd have her well in his grasp, and the next part of the plan could be carried out. But until then, he couldn't risk her taking her reservations to the next level.

"Considering the information we were given…I believe you were in the top 20 for the SARs?" He queried. Shion turned bright red, but nodded yes. "Top 20 for SARs, your medical examination showed us that you have an almost a Realian-like capability with computers and interfaces, of special note are your Encephalon abilities...need I go on?" Shion squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment.

"That's…that's just all book smarts and stuff…" She stammered out, her eyes opening. "There are lots of people in Vector much better qualified than me to have the job I have now, and I just feel so guilty thinking I robbed some hardworking man or woman who deserved it more than me of their rightful position."

"I'm sure that wasn't the case." Wilhelm soothed. And it wasn't, he had personally made sure of that. "Miss Uzuki, are you sure it's not something else that's bothering you about having this job? Is anyone giving you a hard time?"

_Aside from my boss, who is a total pain-in-the-neck, or as Miyuki calls him, a total prick?_ Shion thought, unaware that Wilhelm had just picked up on that thought. _But I can't complain about it…_ "Not really...sir. It's nothing that I can't handle." _Liar._ Wilhelm nodded, not letting on to what he had just overheard.

"I see." He hadn't bothered to check on the situation between Kevin and his new assistant, trusting that it would have worked out fine on its own, but from what he was hearing, things weren't going smoothly. Perhaps it was the tension between them that had Shion questioning the motives behind her placement…

"If you would like, I could look into the matter for you." He offered. As he suspected, Shion shook her head violently.

"Oh no, I couldn't ask you to!" She gave Wilhelm a small smile. "It's too late to change things around now; I'm involved too deeply with the program." She shrugged. "I'll just hang on until it's finished and then request a transfer to the Third Division; it's originally where I wanted to go." Before the Vector CEO could say anything in reply, Shion looked at her watch.

"Oh no, not again!" She cried, darting out of her seat. "Is this like my day to be late or something!"

"Another meeting?" Wilhelm asked, standing up. Shion nodded frantically.

"Yes, I'm so sorry…"

"It's perfectly alright. It was very nice meeting you, Miss Uzuki." Wilhelm said. Shion bowed.

"Likewise, sir." Moving at a half sprint/half jog, she got on the lift and bowed once more as it started to move downwards. Behind Wilhelm, Voyager rematerialized.

"Do you think he's got something to do with this?" He asked. Wilhelm turned his head slightly.

"The relationship between them…what is it like?"

"It's strained. Winncot came down on her hard at the beginning, but that was to be expected, the military also didn't approve of her joining the project, so he had to put a lot of pressure on her to meet their expectations fast."

"And now?"

"It's not as bad, but now I just think it's due to the fact that she's still inexperienced. Do you want me to speak to him?" The white-haired man turned around.

"No. They'll be apart for a while; perhaps the separation will do them some good." Voyager bowed slightly and then dematerialized from view, leaving Wilhelm alone with his thoughts.


	6. Foundations

**AN: **Omg, she updates this fic!

(bows) Gomen nasi for the long wait period for this update, but to be honest, after I finished chapter 4 I slammed right into a writer's block. Then I got hit for other ideas for fics, not to mention schoolwork took a toll...Anyway, you can check my bio, that's what I'll be keeping (hopefully!) updated with the status of my fics.

Also note that _Time's Prisoners_, the other Wilhelm/Shion fic I have (this one is Wilhelm/Shion/Kevin) has had a name change to _Acerbus ut Lumen_, which is Latin for 'darkness and light'.

* * *

**Chapter Five: Foundations**

A month had passed, and it seemed like Wilhelm's prediction had come true. The much-needed separation had apparently worked wonders for Shion and Kevin's relationship, as they were both back on some sort of even keel. The mood amongst the First Division workers on the KOS-MOS project was lighthearted, now that they had finished the basic OS and didn't have to deal with the military as much…for now anyway. Shion was put in charge of the group working on the other OS programs, while Kevin teamed up with the Second Division to start the initial work on KOS-MOS's body frame. Things seemed to be going rather well…but not for long. In a move that would fast become sickingly familiar to Shion, the military declared their dissatisfaction of KOS-MOS's basic OS. This meant that Kevin, Shion, and the other engineers on the project had to literally break apart all their hard work, delete it, and rebuild it to the military's satisfaction…this resulted in tempers flaring, bad blood rising between the android's creators. And once again, Shion found herself in a sink-or-swim situation, once again fingers were being pointed at her, her experience questioned, her skills picked apart. As if in reply Kevin came down even harder on his assistant, demanding nothing but perfection.

But there's only so much abuse a human can endure. No one had bothered to take Shion's feelings into account on the matter and so she bore the stress in silence, elevating her work to the highest levels she could achieve, all the while her own temper flaring, the threads of her self-control starting to unravel. In the eyes of Voyager, Shion's current mental situation was just the tip of the iceburg. The teenager was slowly gearing up for one hell of a temper tantrum; she was like a cornered kitten that everyone kept poking. Sooner or later little claws would lash out.

The 'sooner' came faster than anyone expected. A week before the military's new deadline, on a particularly overcast day, Shion was at her workstation, reviewing all the programming codes for the OS. She'd been up from 6 AM that morning; it was now 1 o'clock in the afternoon. She was mentally and physically exhausted; the stress she'd been put under was finally catching up, her body demanding that she rest so it could renew itself. The brunette found herself starting to nod off every once in a while, finally she had the presence of mind to save her work before her head dropped on her arms and her mind shut down. However, her nap was soon interrupted…

"SHION!" Green eyes snapped open at the familiar voice, and Shion came awake with a slight shriek. Whirling around in her seat, she saw Kevin glaring at her.

"Uhh…"

"Where's the program you were working on?" The blue-haired man demanded.

"Um, um…it's right here." Shion stammered out. "I couldn't keep my eyes open, and I didn't want to lose anything so I saved it…" Nervous now, she got up out of her chair, sidling away as fast as she could from Kevin and the console.

"This isn't a damn kindergarten you know!"

"I'm sorry, I was tired…" Shion protested weakly. "I didn't mean to, I just wanted…"

"You wanted to do what?" Kevin snapped back. "You can't be lazy!"

"I wasn't being lazy!" The brunette was close to tears now; she practically had nothing left to help her deal with her overbearing boss. Kevin continued to yell, drawing the attention of everyone around them, not paying attention to Shion's body language. The brunette's fingers curled into fists and her eyes closed, her small frame starting to shake with suppressed rage as anger fast started to replace exhaustion and humiliation. Voyager, who was about to step in paused for a moment, his semi-charge looked like she was about to blow her top like one of the volcanoes in the southern continents of Fifth Jerusalem, if Kevin wanted to live he'd better get out of the way…

"...Just what the hell do you expect to contribute to this project if you act like this? You're making all of us look bad! You shouldn't have even been put here in the first place!" At those words, something snapped instead of Shion, and her head flew up, eyes gleaming.

"You **_son of a bitch_**!"

**_CRACK._**

"Arrggghhh!" Kevin staggered backwards and fell down, his hands flying up to cover his nose, fingers fast becoming stained as blood poured from the broken orifice. "What the…"

_And now the little kitten shows her claws. _Voyager thought, a ghostly smile twitching on his lips. Shion truly looked like an angered cat; her green eyes were glittering with fury, features contorted into a snarl…the Black Testament was mildly surprised that her hair wasn't standing on end.

"I am so sick and tired of being your whipping girl!" Voyager's attention was diverted back to the scene in front of him. "Ever since I came here, all you've done is bitch, bitch, **bitch**! I'm sorry you don't think I'm good enough to work on your precious project, I'm sorry I didn't intern, but that's JUST HOW IT IS!" One could have heard a pin drop, it was so silent in the lab save for Shion's ragged breathing.

"I've done nothing but my best to try and please you, and I get nothing in return except for your abuse!" Kevin winced as several computer chips and a pad flew at him. "Find yourself another lackey, because I _quit_!" With that, Shion spun on her heel and strode out of the lab, head held high.

* * *

Kevin winced as he entered his office, resisting the urge to pick up something and throw it. His nose ached, hell his entire face hurt. In addition to breaking his nose, it felt like Shion had almost broken his jaw…who would have known the damn woman had one _hell _of a right cross?

"So, did you enjoy being humiliated by a little kitten?" At the sound of Voyager's voice the blue-haired man bit back a snarl; this was the absolute last thing he needed. "You should clean that up."

"Damn woman broke my nose." Kevin bit out as he moved into the bathroom, grabbing some paper towels. Washing the blood off of him, he muttered an Ether spell and nearly yelled in pain as bone and cartilage re-knit themselves. "She just went postal on me!"

"I don't blame her. You've been quite the bastard, Winnicot." Blue eyes met red.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Master Wilhelm ordered me to get involved if things got out of hand between you two. Your treatment of her has been rather poor."

"What am I supposed to do, hold her hand?" Kevin snapped. "She's the…"

"Most reliable and hardest working person on the project and you know it. Despite your order to do what you wish with her, she's still needed for the entire plan." Voyager interrupted. "If she kills herself working because of all the stress you're putting her under, Master Wilhelm's not going to be very pleased." Kevin cursed softly and threw the towel to the side. "I personally thought you of all people would know what she was capable of…and how much she could bear." This got the younger man's attention, and he spun around.

"How do you…" No response, the black-cloaked Testament had disappeared. "…Damn it!"

* * *

It had taken a couple of hours, one long warm bath, and comfort food in the form of chocolate and takeout from her favorite Japanese restaurant, but Shion had finally calmed down somewhat.

That and beating the living hell out of a sparring dummy in the Vector workout room before the bath. Imagining it had been Kevin had even been better...dressing it up in a blue-edged Vector uniform had been just perfect. A smile crossed Shion's lips as she leaned back on the couch, chopsticks in hand. Every single fatal move that she knew, either hand to hand or using a sword, all of them had been practiced on Kevin's effigy. A sigh of satisfaction escaping her lips, she stretched, bones cracking.

"Ow." Back to the mat tomorrow for her, it seemed. And she'd have to get in contact with the Director…no way in hell was she staying on the KOS-MOS project any longer. No way. She didn't care how she did it, or what would happen…she was transferring out. If she couldn't get anything in Vector, she'd leave and go someplace else…she'd heard that Hyams had been looking for some people. As she mentally plotted what to do next, her doorbell chimed softly.

"Ugh…who the…" Frowning, Shion got up and padded over to the doorway. Pushing her hair out of her face, she pressed the panel to open the door…

And found herself face to face with a familiar pair of blue eyes. Rage simmered again, yet the brunette kept herself under control, only allowing her voice to drip pure venom.

"What the hell do you want?"

* * *

Kevin suppressed the urge to shudder; the glare Shion had given him when she'd opened her door was pure ice. Kitten his ass, the woman looked like one of those old Lost Jerusalem animals he'd seen in school once…a rattlesnake. The blue-haired man could almost swear that he was hearing a _rattle-rattle_ someplace…and with Shion looking like she was ready to bite his head off and hand it to him; he swore it was getting louder and louder.

_Maybe I shouldn't have done this…should have waited until she calmed down some more. _Steeling himself, he squared his shoulders, forcing himself to look the younger woman straight in the eye.

"Can I come in?" One brown eyebrow arched, and then Shion stepped to the side.

"Go on."

"Thanks." Feeling like he'd been given a stay of execution, Kevin walked inside the small suite, noting it hadn't changed much since he'd been in there last…save for all the computer parts, pads, and chips on one of the tables, it looked like she'd been up to something with those. The first time he'd been in here, he'd just been looking through, wanting to see if there were any clues of the life she'd led after leaving the Mizrahi labs…Joachaim had made the arrangements so quickly it'd made his head spin, and with Militia sealed off he couldn't find out anything for a long time after the Conflict. The only surviving remains of his old mentor's research were the Emulators, that prototype 100-Series Realian, and Shion herself…

"What do you want?" Snapping out of his reverie, Kevin turned around to see Shion standing in front of the door, arms crossed over her chest.

"Um…" _Just get it out you nut._ "I'm sorry." Shion didn't say anything, but tilted her head slightly. "I've...I've been a major prick to you, Shion, and you didn't deserve it."

"Prick is putting it mildly, but continue."

"You're…you're a wonderful person and you've contributed a great deal to the project." Kevin looked down at his hands. "Please…don't quit. If you leave the Director's going to have my hide…him and everyone else in the department."

"That doesn't sound too bad." Shion remarked. She sighed, Kevin looked absolutely pathetic…

"Oh…alright." She uncrossed her arms. "I'll come back, I forgive you…" Kevin looked up, a smile on his face.

"Thank you."

"That doesn't mean you're off the hook right away though." Shion warned as she walked past him. "I want at least 2 days off to recover from all the stress."

"Done." He watched as she strode into the kitchen, part of him admiring the natural grace with which she seemed to move, almost like a ballet dancer.

"Though…" Shion paused, turning back around. "Why?" Kevin started at this.

"What?"

"Why did you treat me like that?" Kevin felt his heart slam against his chest. He couldn't tell her…no…no…yet suddenly, his lips were moving, the words were escaping his tongue.

"I…I thought you had slept with someone higher up to get into the First Division." Dead silence. Shion jolted as if she had been shot, her face turning pale.

"You…you….you what?"

"It was cruel on my part, I was angry that you'd just been added to the team, the whole news caught me at a bad time." Kevin babbled out. Shion was pale, her eyes suddenly very large and luminous, the blue-haired man was halfway afraid she was going to go into shock. "Shion, please…"

"Get out."

"Shion!" The brunette stormed by Kevin, her hand lashing out and hitting the control panel for the door, hair hiding her face.

"Leave!"

"Shion, I'm sorry!"

"Get out _now_!" Shion was trembling, hanging onto her self control by a thread, if he stayed any longer she was afraid she'd break down and start crying. "Just go and leave me alone!" Guilt clawing at him, Kevin obeyed, stopping at the doorway.

"Shion…"

"Leave." The door hissed shut as the older man left, and Shion sank to the floor, arms wrapped around her knees, shoulders shuddering as she sobbed.

* * *

Wilhelm placed his hands inside his coat pockets, admiring the snow as it fluttered down from the 'sky' to the ground. One of the things that made the Dammerung so famous was the fact that the weather changed from season to season, just like on any other planet…spring, summer, fall, winter. Of course it was artificial, but there was something soothing to the massive ship's boarders about having a planetary rhythm, and Wilhelm had to admit he enjoyed seeing the seasons change. His favorite was winter though, when the snow reduced everything to a calm, peaceful white.

_I need to come here more often; it's surprising that the park is this quiet… _The sounds of soft sobbing met his ears, startling him from his reverie. _What?_ Curious, he followed the sound, finding that it originated from one of the fountains that were in the center of the park. Rounding the marble piece, he discovered a familiar brown-haired figure, huddled into a small ball against the cold weather, shoulders heaving.

"…Shion?"


End file.
